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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29033550">Far More Important</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat2000/pseuds/Cat2000'>Cat2000</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Multi-Fandom Ficlets [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Power of Three - Diana Wynne Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Spanking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:33:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29033550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat2000/pseuds/Cat2000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Disclaimer: I don’t own anything from the book The Power of Three and I’m not making any money from this fic</p><p>Summary: After the celebrations die down, Hathil takes Hafny to task</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Multi-Fandom Ficlets [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2049513</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Far More Important</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Warning(s): Spanking of a young teenager; spoilers for the whole book; references to violence</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had taken a long time for the celebrations to finally die down. Everyone was happy, as if a great weight had been lifted from all three peoples. Hafny had even seen the effects of letting go of hatred and vengeance had had on his father.</p><p> </p><p>And even Hathil’s directions to Hafny to meet his father in his chamber couldn’t spoil the sense of joy breaking the curse had brought.</p><p> </p><p>But after all of the representatives had returned to their homes and Hafny and Gair had promised to meet Gerald at his home, Hafny knew his moment of reckoning had come. His father might not be truly angry any longer, but that didn’t mean he’d be free of punishment.</p><p> </p><p>Many of their people had left for the mounds Gest had promised already. There was no one to witness Hafny as he walked along the narrow hallways towards his father’s room. Even Halla wasn’t there to give him a sympathetic smile. Or to tell him she’d told him so, which was far more likely.</p><p> </p><p>Hathil reclined in his chair, wounded leg stretched out in front of him, a pensive look on his face. He looked up at Hafny standing in the doorway and beckoned him closer.</p><p> </p><p>Stomach twisting and gut clenching, Hafny walked to his father’s side. He didn’t need any further instructions. He bent at the waist and crawled into position across his father’s lap, stretching until his hands rested on the cold floor and his backside perched between Hathil’s knees.</p><p> </p><p>The first smack was firm and loud and Hafny winced. He focused on a spot on the far wall and waited.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Why</em>, Hafny?” His father’s hand rested on his back, between his shoulder blades.</p><p> </p><p>Confused and somewhat apprehensive over this deviation from their normal pattern, Hafny twisted his head to look at his father. “Why what?”</p><p> </p><p>Hathil lifted his hand again and Hafny looked away quickly, though he felt the second stinging swat. “Why put yourself in their hands?”</p><p> </p><p>“Because you were going to sacrifice <em>them</em>.” Hafny’s body twitched at the third smack. His bottom was beginning to smart, even through the layers that covered it. “You were going to sacrifice my friends,” he added, a more rebellious note creeping into his voice.</p><p> </p><p>Another firm smack, this one low enough to catch the tops of his thighs. “What if they’d chosen to sacrifice <em>you</em>?” Hathil demanded, his voice turning hoarse.</p><p> </p><p>Hafny stilled at the pain he heard in his father’s voice. Hesitantly, he said, “I told them to…but they wouldn’t listen!” He hurried to add on that last bit, but the response still earned him another smack. “I was safe with them,” he said. “They brought me back home, Father. And you broke the curse with them.” His body twitched, expecting another smack. When none was forthcoming, he allowed himself to relax and continued, “Our people don’t have to hide under the water anymore. I can’t regret that.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re far too much like me,” Hathil muttered. He helped Hafny to his feet and placed his hands on his shoulders, looking into his son’s eyes. “Don’t you <em>ever</em> put yourself in that kind of risk again,” he scolded. Then, he wrapped his arms around Hafny in a tight hug, whispering, “You’re far too important to endanger yourself.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know. I’m your heir.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re my <em>son</em>,” Hathil corrected, pulling back enough to look into his eyes. “And I love you. <em>That’s</em> why I don’t want you putting yourself at risk.”</p><p> </p><p>The sting hadn’t really lasted past the swats and certainly hadn’t been enough to draw tears to Hafny’s eyes. But his father’s words brought them forth and he returned the hug, fierce and tight, letting the comfort soothe him in a way he couldn’t remember ever feeling soothed before. “I love you too, Father.”</p><p> </p><p>
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    <span class="u">The End</span>
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